Tito Ortiz dips toes in TNA Wrestling pool

Viacom’s interest in featuring Bellator fighters alongside “sports entertainers” on TNA Wrestling hasn’t ended with recent signings Muhammed Lawal and Quinton Jackson. Last night, UFC icon Tito Ortiz showed up on TNA’s weekly show as part of a storyline also involving “Rampage”. As Mixed Martial Arts fans know, Ortiz and Jackson are scheduled to square off on a Bellator PPV this November 2, indicating some sort of cross-promotion will occur given the relationship both organizations have with Spike TV.

Ortiz did not speak during his segment, coming down the ramp to simply stare at Jackson and a handful of stunned TNA stars while the announcers expressed shock over the development. He is expected to have a more prominent role on next week’s offering.

The UFC Hall of Famer has shown interest in scripted scrapping before, sniffing around WWE a few years back. It is unknown if his relationship with TNA will extend beyond November or if he’ll even be involved in a bout.

If Tito can avoid taking major “Bumps” and such this could be gold for him……All he needs is a little seasoning on the mic skills and he could be a real asset to TNA . Really am happy to see him broaden his horizons a bit. He has all the tools to be a good heel manager. Freddie Blassie would be proud….LOL

They might not be, but usually if someone comes out and doesn’t talk they are trying to groom him as a monster character, add into the punishment clothing angle and it could happen, it wouldn’t be a good fit though.

I was going hypothetical , honestly I have know clue what their plans are for him but if he works the angle right it could work out well for him. Reality is though he probably won’t be on TNA much more if at all after the fight with Rampage much less be part of Bellator.

I have mixed feelings about former MMA stars going to wrestling. I realize dudes gotta make a living. And from what Ive been told it pays pretty well. But my fear is that if 10 years from now there are dozens apon dozens of former fighters,& that they would just be doing the same fights only now scripted. For instance, I remeber reading that Frank Mir made the comment that he might consider the WWE after retirement to continue his fued with lesnar. Please god NO!.I guess if it was ALL 100% wrestling stye moves it would not make me so sick. But you know they would be doing leg locks and arm bares B4 you know it. I like most americans was raised watching wresling when I was a kid. I loved it. But I have not watched in 15 years. Lets keep it real. Its a soap opera with staged acribate fighting, done by grown men and women in their underwear. No disrepect to anyone that does it or watches it. But as a MMA fan, I would rather the two did not mix on a HUGE scale.